Denver council incumbent quits campaign to care for ailing husband

Denver City Councilwoman Paula Sandoval announced today she will withdraw from seeking re-election to the council because her husband, former legislator Paul Sandoval, received news that he may have cancer.

Denver City Councilwoman Paula Sandoval won't seek re-election.

Sandoval issued a statement saying that she wanted to spend the time with her husband that otherwise she would have been spending on the campaign trail.

“It has been an honor representing the residents of Council District 1 for the past nine months and I will continue to represent the district until my term has ended,” Sandoval said in a press release.
“I wanted to make this decision in time for candidates to become eligible for the May ballot,” she said.

Sandoval was elected to the seat that represents Northwest Denver in May 2010 in a special election following the resignation of Councilman Rick Garcia to work for President Barack Obama.

Candidates have until next Wednesday to file 100 signatures with the city clerk to become eligible for the May 2011 election. If a candidate does not receive a majority of votes there will be a run-off election between the top two vote-getters in June.

Already, two candidates are challenging Sandoval for her seat — Kenneth Padilla and Jeffery Schitter.

Paul Sandoval is the co-owner of Tamales by La Casita, an iconic Northwest Denver eatery. He is a longtime Democratic operative who also was a state senator.

Paul Sandoval said today the doctors will conduct more tests next week to determine whether it is lymphoma or pancreatic cancer.

“They are going to go after it very aggressively,” he said. “But (hey) life goes on. This is just another election.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.